No new music for me in 2011

Once upon a time, when my kids were little, I resolved not to spend any money on music. As long as I could trade in some of what I already had, it worked pretty well. With less and less local stores, that would be a problem in this new day and age.
My love of music far outweighs any amount of self control I might pretend to have.
Not only that, but my passion for music is one of the things I like about myself!

 

Once upon a time, when my kids were little, I resolved not to spend any money on music. As long as I could trade in some of what I already had, it worked pretty well. With less and less local stores, that would be a problem in this new day and age.
My love of music far outweighs any amount of self control I might pretend to have.
Not only that, but my passion for music is one of the things I like about myself!

 

I think if you're buying music that you're not even listening to, you've made a good resolution. Maybe make a point to listen to your entire backlog before you buy anything else.

 

That is the case.

I thought of this as a possible solution, but I don't want my music listening experience to turn into a check the box exercise, which I think it could devolve into.

I have that passion too, but I found myself not having the time to listen to much of what I purchased.

 

Same here - I've got a son in the first year of university so I have to keep track of spending. This year so far I'm about...£4 over budget which is pretty good for me but I've just noted how many Sun Ra releases there are that I need (yes, need not want).

The thought of not buying anything for a whole year is to horrific to contemplate.

 

I respect your resolution of no new music

the idea of mass buying before the first of January actually is not in the spirit of waiting till one listens to all the purchases they already have or learning to live with less

I've got far too much - especially collected vinyl
I should be able to do this
and my newer purchasing has really slowed down

having good record stores less common - bestbuy doesn't carry anything
amazon is too tempting
and a positive note on the steve hoffman forums instigates more purchases

the don't need it on vinyl - have it on cd has helped
as has don't need the remaster

my issues is that I am in the Music Matters Jazz 45 rpm Blue Note record club
with a premo #86 limited edition
I enjoy the records - could do without - but hard not to keep collecting
and it's great jazz

I also have an addiction to blu rays
particularly foriegn, art and criterion films
stuff I can't get from blockbuster or redbox
I've considered renting the rare dvd instead

the congestion of music and films is helping to restrain new purchases

 

I am going to cut back on my music spending, but I could never quit for a year. Good luck, though!

 

I don't plan on any mass buying splurges, just a disk or 2 before the end of the year.

 

Funny, I've been toying with the idea of a resolution in the complete opposite direction: No old music in 2011, only new music. By that, I mean not buying anything I already have in one format or another. No reissues, no upgrades, no buying deluxe editions of stuff I already have just for a handful of bonus tracks.

Like so many other resolutions, this will probably last barely into February but seems like a noble effort.

 

are you trying to fool us, by saying you won't buy any new cd's THIS year? it is 2010 still

 

congratulations....assuming you don't mean twins as a double album

 

I'm with you i purchased so much music in 2010 i too need a break

 

Thanks much!

 

They should add a footnote to this forum, something like, yeah, your quote:

*This forum is music addicts what AA is to alcoholics.

How about nicknaming the forum the SHAA forum? AA for being "Audiophile Alcoholics."

Shaa!

 

Very ironic reading this thread, since as I was sitting down to listen to the 5 new SHM-SACDs I got today, 3 of which I already have multiple copies of already on CD/SACD/vinyl,etc... I felt a wave of "depression" hit me. I knew that some of what I just received is unnecessary considering the amount of music I already own.

I fully realize as I get older that it really is fruitless buying more and more music, that if I were to try and listen to what I have all day every day, I probably would die before I get through everything I own (and that assumes I live as long or longer than my father who is currently alive and well at 86 years old - I'm 52).

I always question myself on why I keep purchasing music I can never give full attention to over the years.

I try to tell myself to stop buying music; but then a new vinyl re-master, SHM-SACD, box set, CD will come out that has me wanting to experience what it has to offer. I "break down" and make the purchase. I get enjoyment from doing so, and I get just as much enjoyment out of the listening.... but I am behind and many items don't get opened or listened to in time. Hence the "depressed" feeling that I really have no control over my impulse toward wanting to own music.

I am really going to try and slow down the purchases, since when I'm gone the people left to deal with the thousands of CDs/vinyl/SACDs/DVDs/Blu-ray discs I now own will have to go through hell dealing with what I left behind. (morbid thinking, I know... but as I get older I realize my mortality more and more, and that what I amass now will be someone elses burden when I am gone).

 

MikeT, You summed up quite nicely, I hear ya: The thrill of hunt, the holy grail. There are worse addictions in this world...

I will say this, my love of music has kept me sane. If I couldn't rock out, I'd go nuts.

 

Now this is just me, the way I have been but I have always kept a parsed music collection. I do not have a collection on the scale that many have here but what I have I listen to. For me, if I don't listen to it then it is not worth having. It is as simple as that for me and I have no regrets about what I own or what I listen to.

 

I "blame" this forum for much of my music addiction- darn you all!

(Okay; so I don't mind all that much...).

 

Wow, very interesting as this is EXACTLY what I want to do, except with a twist. As a journalism student it's important for me to stay current, but I'm going to catalog my collection in a spreadsheet and write an album review for each album I own. With you would think couldn't be that much since I'm still in college, but it's a little ridiculous... stupid music and its way of infiltrating my heart and soul. At least we have a habit that our children or others can appreciate/can be shared. I just can't understand how someone could spend the equivalent of my entire yearly music music purchasing on one handbag...

 

I am going to drastically reduce my music buying, but cutting it out entirely would be mighty tough.......Good luck!

 

Good luck.

I can't do cold turkey but I can and will cut back by 60-70% in 2011. Mostly due to the fact I am running out of built in shelf space for Vinyl and CD's. Since I can't afford to move and good music doesn't deserve to live in the shed..

 

I was thinking a bit more about this thread. Prognastycator, not sure if you specifically intended this or not, but you may know that supposedly one is more likely to achieve a goal or keep a commitment if he writes it down, and especially if he tells people about it. Makes himself accountable to them, in a sense. So you should keep this thread alive and report on your progress enjoying your current collection. I for one won't rag on you if you slip.

I think I will keep you company on this mission in January. I can't keep a year commitment, but my CD-buying in December bordered on the absurd (mainly because there were some seemingly once-in-a-lifetime deals on classical box sets). I've got a disc downtown at a store waiting for me to pick it up, which I'll try to do tomorrow. And some things pre-ordered, for delivery in February. But I think I can keep the January decks clear.

One thing that helped by the way has been my ripping all my CD's. It's like rediscovering the breadth of one's own collection.

 

Isn't saying "I won't buy any music in 2011" and being on this site like being an alcoholic saying "I'll never drink again" and hanging out in a bar?! LOL!

 

What's the alternative? Never listen to the music at all? If that's the case, why not just get rid of it?

 

We all gotta start going to meetings next to stop buying!
Audiophiles Anonymous

I was actually thinking I have enough and I should cut back on buying for now until something really essential is released next year.
I rationalised my execessive buying this year by telling myself,well soon I`ll probably never see these cds for sale again so I should just buy it all now.